DIY How to Cope With Your Father's Death
by NakabaChan
Summary: Elicia's father, Maes Hughes, has been dead for about ten years now, and her feelings are bubbling under the surface. Now thirteen, she has to cope with the slow realization that he really is never coming back. I am joined by PUCK AND KYO THE AWESOMEST AUTHOR EVER! WHEN IT'S IN CAPS IT'S ME! Yeah, I, NakabaChan, didn't write that. Puck and Kyo did. Rated T just in case. Review plz!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everybody! ****Hi there, everybody! It's Puck and Kyo! ****And, when it isn't underlined, it's NakabaChan! ****We've decided to write a fan fiction together! A depressing fan fiction! ****Just warning you! So, yeah. Here it is. ****Let's go!**

_I can remember it very clearly. The sun, beating down hard, the sweat on the foreheads of the men with the shovels. The tears in our eyes- they would fall to the ground and soak into the earth. I used to wonder, " why are they burying daddy?" but now, I know. I wish I didn't- I wish I could go back to a time when this was easy- when I was innocent, and this didn't hurt. When, I truly believed, I would see my dad at the dinner table later that night. But, I never saw him again. _

_" _Hey! Elicia! Wait up!" Anna was calling to me, as she dashed out of her house, bag in hand, and bread hanging out of her mouth.

" Did you sleep through your alarm **again?**" I asked, a smile creeping across my face.

" Maybe," she said, with a wink, and she skipped right past me, but didn't leave. I laughed, and raced ahead of her.

" Hey!"

" We're gonna be late!"

" Okay, **mom**," Anna sarcastically replied. We rushed around the corner, and bolted into the brick schoolhouse, just as the warning bell, meaning we had one minute left before class, echoed throughout the hallways. I sighed with relief, and slumped into my seat. Anna waltzed over to a crowd of boys, twirling her hair on her finger. I couldn't help but roll my eyes- that's really Anna for you. Mrs. Sohma stiffly approached her desk, slapping her ruler on the table.

" Sit down, students," she snarled- I never really liked her that much. She wasn't old or anything- she was just sour. She was the kind of pretty that was more scary than beautiful. Still, that never stopped most boys from staring at her during class. I mean, don't they care about personality at all?

" Today, we will be discussing the Ishvalan War," she said, promptly turning around to her chalkboard. My muscles stiffened- hopefully, we wouldn't dive too far into the specifics. I remember **he** was in the war. I tried to take slow, deep breaths. I closed my eyes and attempted to calm myself.

" Many died needlessly..." the teacher droned on for what seemed like forever, until there was a knock at the door that cut her off. Mrs. Sohma _hmphed, _ and a head popped in the door.

" Excuse me, Mrs. Sohma. I'm sorry to bother you, but can I see Kagura in the office?" Kagura stood up, her face a little red, and walked, silently, out of the room. Anna leaned over to me and said,

" Hey, Elicia. I heard Kagura beat up someone the other day." I shrugged and whispered back,

" Yeah- it was her cousin or something." Mrs. Sohma looked me in the eye,

" Ms. Hughes, Ms. Sun, is there anything you would like to say **to the class**?" I sheepishly shook my head, beet- red, but Anna just ignored her.

" Back to the war," Mrs. Sohma began, scratching out furious notes on the board. A boy in the back raised his hand high, and Mrs. Sohma gestured for him to speak.

" I think it's really unfair that so many people from that war are still working for the military- how can we trust them? They were so willing to kill, what makes us **so sure **they won't now? They should be taken care of." There was a tense silence. My stomach dropped, and I curled my hands to squeeze out the feelings welling up inside. I...Just couldn't take it anymore. I stood up, my head down, my chair flying backward, and I ran out of the room.

**Okay, everybody. That's the end of chapter 1! Sorry it was so short- we're writing this late at night, and I can't really think straight. ****Please remember to Review, Favorite, subscribe- oh wait, this isn't Youtube! XD Be sure to check out my and Nakaba's other fics! Thanks for reading! ** **Thanks so much for reading! I know Puck and Kyo just said that, but... Um... Well, just, thank you. We have a basic plan of the plot, but if you have any ideas, post them below! Be safe!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey again, guys and girls! ( Guys and Dolls!) Sorry, I had to make that joke. Anyways, I am writing this chapter by myself because Puck and Kyo is unavailable, and I have nothing better to do. Thanks so much to the people who read the first chapter, and here is Chapter 2! I'll try to make this one a bit longer than the last.**

My eyes felt like they were burning- the lump in my throat kept getting bigger. I rapidly approached a corner, praying that no one would be on the other side. I _really _didn't want anyone else to see me like this. I would be ashamed to be seen crying- I need to show my dad that I am strong. He needs to be able to see that I can make him proud. I swung around the corner, able to see the door. The door that goes outside. It feels as though it is getting farther and farther away. Just...Farther. The world was spinning more and more with every step I took. My breathing got heavier and heavier. I tried to shake these thoughts aside, and the door swung open. Finally- the fresh wind dried some of the tears on my face. The sun embraced me in it's warm rays. It was a beautiful day outside. I could take in the flowery air, and the tensity released.

A blackness slowly crept into my vision from all corners. My knees buckled beneath me, and I soon felt the stone path scraping my cheek. And, then, it was all black.

When I awoke, I was back at my house. I called for my mom a few times, and wiped my still-wet face. There was no answer or anything- she must've still been at work or something. I was kinda disappointed that she wasn't here, but at the same time, I am glad she wasn't. It can be comforting to have her around sometimes, but I don't like people seeing me upset. I try to convey myself as a happy person, which makes me feel like everything I do is a lie. Am I betraying everyone around me?

" No one understands me..." I mumbled quietly, sitting up in my bed with my head in my hands. I thought I heard a little whisper of,

" I do," but I'm probably just going crazy. I stood up, and waltzed into the kitchen. I brewed myself a small cup of camomile tea, which burned my fingertips when I tried to pick it up. It fell to the floor, shattering to pieces. I sighed- I just couldn't catch a break today, could I? I swept up the shards, and tossed them into the trash. I sopped up the tea with a mop. Deciding not to try to make another cup, I sat back down on the couch. I stretched myself out, and stared at the ceiling. A blank slate.

That's when it occurred to me. Father gave mom a tea set when they got married. My stomach dropped again, and I started to panic. I hopped over the back of the couch and ran over to the trash. I examined all the broken bits, and sure enough, that little cherry tree painted on it was there. _Oh no! This was one of moms cups!_ I pulled out the piece with the tree on it, and held it close to my heart.

" I'm sorry..." I choked out, breaking into tears again. I can't believe I just let this happen- my mom will be so upset! She doesn't want me to see it, but I can tell she still misses him. I wrapped the little piece into a linen handkerchief and placed it in my pocket.

I took three deep breaths- my friend Tracy had always told me that can change any situation. My head cleared up a bit, and I decided to search for my schoolbooks. If I was brought home by the nurse or something, they would've brought my books. I looked on the dinner table, on the couch, and in my mother's and my room. They were nowhere to be found. Hmm- maybe they just saw me and decided to take me home? Jeez- this is turning out to be more important than I thought it would be. I did one more check to make sure they weren't in the house, and they **definitely **weren't.

Okay, so, if they didn't know me, it would explain why they wouldn't grab my books, ( they wouldn't know where to find them,) but, how would they know where I live? Oh my gosh, do I have a stalker or something?

I calmed myself- I knew I was being crazy, but... I just needed to be crazy for awhile. I need to release everything that has been inside. The sun peeked inside through the curtains, which gave me enough motivation to go back outside again. I walked over to the door ( which was the most stubborn door I have ever had to open), swung it open, and ran outside.

This house doesn't hold the same heart that my old one had. Before, we lived in a big house. Just us three. Always together. Mom wanted to move close to the ocean- she said it expanded into an infinity. She had always said that the ocean never stops rolling onto the shore- it never stops giving and giving. She always ended by saying,

" It's almost as beautiful as you, Elicia." I would always hug her when she said that, smile, say I love you, etc. But, I never actually believed it to be true. She only ever says nice things because she is my mom. It's a mom's job to say stuff like that. I hopped onto my bicycle, and rolled down the hill. Past the school, and soon to the beach. The heavy, salty air was everywhere.

I laid down on the smooth sand, the waves just barely touching my feet. I could hear voices bounce around the long stretch of beach- they all sound happy. A dark shadow covers me, blocking my view of the sun. A hand is reaching towards me, and I could've sworn I saw dad's face. **My** dad's face. I took the hand, and stood up. I quickly brushed the sand off of my back, and looked at the person again. It was definitely not my dad, but I just saw him! Where could he have gone?

" Why aren't you in school?" the boy who offered me his hand asked.

" There was a thing," I said, trying to stay vague.

" Oh! A thing!" he replied, smiling. I liked how he didn't barge in to my thoughts or life- he just let me have it the way I wanted.

" Why aren't you in school?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I had a thing, too," he replied, winking. We both smiled.

I looked up at the sun, guessing it was around two.

" I should probably be heading home," I said, waving and beginning to walk away. He ran ahead of me and turned around, still smiling.

" Want me to walk you home?" he asked.

" How do you know where I live?" I asked teasingly.

" I don't! But you can show me! I can even say I learned something today!" We both chuckled.

" Okay," I said.

" Okay to what?" he inquired, looking genuinely confused.

" You can walk me home, if you want to still," I said, a little bashful for some reason. We walked side by side, me dragging my bike beside me. He was a pleasant talker- a person who could talk forever and a person who I could listen to forever. Whoa- that sounded waaay cheesier than I thought it would. Oops. What I mean is that, he's talkative, but not in an annoying way.

When we arrived at my house, I was a little sad to see him leave.

" Silly me," I said, " I never asked your name!"

" Aaron," he answered, " And, yours?"

" Elicia Hughes."

" Well then, Elicia Hughes, I should probably head back home."

" Yeah, probably Aaron...whatever your last name is."

He waved, and soon disappeared in the distance. I stood, waving, until he was gone.

I went back inside, and the door swung open with ease.

**Okay, thank you so much for reading this far! And, if you understood my small reference to How I Met Your Mother in there, you rock! Please review! Don't be afraid to share your actual opinions with me, PM me, anything really. I value each and every review. And no, I'm not just saying that- I check every hour to see if anyone else has posted. Sorry- I get excited. I'm not creepy at all! Okay, I'm really not that creepy, I'm just happy. If you have any ideas for the story, post them...write them...pm me... Just, tell me somehow, and I will credit you below if I wind up using it. This story has a lot of different ways it can go, and I want to know what my 2 readers feel like it should be. So, be safe! I'll probably update again this week.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay guys, I've had really bad luck with this chapter. I've written it TWICE, and somehow disappeared. ( I think I forgot to save the first draft.) I really hate redoing stuff like that. Of course, this is a story that I like writing about, so I'm fine with it. Anyways, I've been falling behind lately, so I plan on posting a lot of stories within the next few days. I am going to have hours of free time, and I'm spending it here. So, enjoy! Also, please review! Even a :) or :( is good for me.**

" Hey, Ellie!"

" Hey mom!" I said, not actually processing the fact that she was at the house for a moment. _Oh no! The cup!_ I dashed into the kitchen, and she looked up from the dishes. She smiled. I didn't see any hint of tears or anything in her eyes. I sighed, perhaps a bit too loudly.

" What?" she asked, " You nervous about something?"

" Huh?" I asked. She must've seen the cup was missing, and is testing me.

" You sighed- you only sigh when you're relieved!" She replied, returning her eyes to the dishes.

" So, how was your day?" Mom was always so considerate. So considerate. I couldn't hide anything from her. I had to tell her.

" Mom, I have something important to tell you. Really important." She looked up at me again, a concerned look spreading across her face.

At that very moment, the front door swung open, and footsteps thundered through the living room and stopped behind me.

" Oh my god, Elicia! Are you okay?" It was Anna.

I covered her mouth with my hand, and gave my mother a sheepish smile.

" We'll be outside." I practically dragged her out of the room, and out onto the lawn.

" What are you doing?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

" You ran out of class crying! And, some weird kid told me that you passed out! Jeez- I was worried half to death!" Her hair was windswept and frizzy- she must've ran the whole way over here. We walked over to the small bench in the backyard.

" I left your books in your house," she said, looking back up at me. I mumbled a thank you. She looked at me in the eyes for a long time. Chills went up my spine- I knew she could read me easily. She gave a sly smile. I became desperate for a distraction- I couldn't have her say what I knew she was thinking. Then, I got an idea. It just kinda popped into my head.

" Elicia, did you meet a bo..."

"Lets go to the beach," I cut her off, standing up and smiling. I skipped over to the edge of my yard, the soft grass tickling my feet. My legs carried myself to the end of the street, skipping along. Anna was calling for me to slow down. I stopped, and she came up to me. My grin didn't even begin to fade.

" You're being all weird today..." she said teasingly.

" I'm always weird!" I laughed, making a funny face. I was hoping for a look that said, _hey! I'm totally normal! Nothing weird is going on at all! _But, I knew inside that my heart was pounding. It was then that I was willing to accept the reason I was going back to the beach- I wanted to see **him**. I wanted to see Aaron.

" Hey, Elicia, you're sure you're okay?" she said, worry surfacing across her face again.

" Yes! I'm fine!" I said, as the ocean came into view. It was deserted, which was a little weird for this time of day. Anna gave me a smile, and she dashed off across the sand, her shoes flying off behind her. I took off after her, the sand kicking up ahead of me. The sting in my legs only made me stronger, and I soon caught up with her. We plopped down onto the dry sand, and looked across the infinite ocean.

I saw three people walking along the shore together, two adults and the third probably my age-ish. They looked like the ideal family- the happy kid, happy parents, happy life. I sometimes wish I was born as another person. I hate being me- " sensitive," "caring", " quiet", "happy", "always smiling", me. The people who say those things to me make me feel more alone than I could ever feel. That just means that they don't know the real me. I feel like Anna doesn't even know the real me. No one does.

Who made this happen to me? Someone killed my dad. Someone has permanently changed my life. I have never done anything to deserve this! I've always been the best kid I could be to everyone. Need something? I got it. Want something? I got it. I try and try so hard, and no one ever appreciates how hard life is for the people around them. I... I just wish that someone would stick their neck out for me, ya know?

Whatever. I gave Anna a fake smile, and took off running. I heard her laugh and try to run after me.

**Okay, I'm really sorry, but this was kind of a filler chapter. Well, it'll feel like one for right now, but it's not in here "just because." I have a plan ( which is a shock,) so stay tuned! Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm back again! It's just NakabaChan again. And, here we are with the next chapter. Please review, follow, whatever all those words mean... Too complicated...**

The next day, I heard a knock on the front door. I snatched up my backpack, and opened it.

" Hey! You ready for school?" I said, waving goodbye to my mom and stepping outside.

" I'm _never_ ready for school, Ellie! You should know this by now!" She laughed, and we started down the road to school. We kicked around the little pebbles that had wandered their way into the street. The warm breeze danced all around us, making me even more excited for summer.

" Hey, do you want to go to the library tomorrow? I heard they got some new books today," I asked her.

" But.. reading requires... _effort._ And, being good at reading, neither of which I have," she responded. I knew she said she didn't like books, but I know she enjoyed some of them.

" Can we go? Please?" I pleaded.

" Well, okay. But, you owe me food!"

" It's a deal!" I exclaimed, running ahead towards the school.

When she finally caught up with me, she was totally out of breath.

" _Elicia,_ why do you always run when we're almost at the school? Do you want to be in school more or something? 'Cause I can leave you here if you want me too."

I laughed, and she broke out into a smile. Anna could make a living off of teasing people. We walked into our classroom, and I plopped down into my seat. Our teacher strutted in and sat elegantly at her desk. Great, a substitute. I mean, Mrs. Sohma isn't a walk in the park, but our class goes crazy when there's a sub.

" Hello, children," she said briskly, not even looking up.

And, we sat through her boring history class for the next hour and a half. Anna and I met up after class.

" History class is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine," Anna complained, " I'm _so sure_ I need to know who started alchemy in order to work as a waitress."

"Wait, you want to work as a waitress?" I asked teasingly.

" No, it's just...Blah...Nevermiiiiiiiiiiind!" She smiled. We went to our next class together.

After a few more boring classes, it was finally lunch time. We sat together at the end of a green table.

" Whoa, Ellie, where's your lunch?" Anna asked.

" Yeah, I forgot it. I'm not that hungry though." As if to show that I was lying, my stomach rumbled loudly.

"I'm giving you food," she said, handing me an apple.

" I'm fine! I promise!" I said, handing her apple back.

" Eat it! Food is good for you!" Anna wouldn't ever give up.

" Oooookkkkaaaaaayy," I gave in, " But, I'm bringing you food tomorrow!"

" Food sounds good to me," she said.

School dragged on and on for another three hours. It was as boring as usual. I waved goodbye to Anna, and I jogged home.

When I got to my house, I plopped down my back pack, and called for my mom. She didn't answer, so she probably went to the store or something. I left her a note on the counter, and went back out the door. I ran down to the beach again, kicking my shoes off as I touched the soft sand. Happy people were playing around in the sand with their family. Their complete, happy family. I really wish...

" Hey! Ellie!" It was Aaron. He ran up to me, smiling and waving. I grinned.

" How was your day?" he asked, standing beside me and walking side by side.

"It was okay. You?"

" My day was good. Wait. You said your day was just 'okay'? Did something happen?"

" Not really, but it could've been better."

We walked over to the shore.

" Hey, where do you go to school?" I asked him. I don't think he goes to my school, and the closet school is pretty far.

" Wait, before I tell you, what school do you go to?"

" Burlingpath middle school. What school do you go to?"

" Well, I can't tell you yet!" He said, splashing a bit of the ocean towards me.

I kicked the water, and splashed his knees. This soon turned into a game. We slapped the salty water into eachothers faces. Eventually, we were both soaked through. We both plopped down on the sand. The side of his hand brushed mine, and my heart fluttered for a second.

**And, that's the end of this chapter. Sorry it was kind of an abrupt ending, but I kinda wanted to end it there. Anyways, thanks for reading! Please review!**


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